Saturday, November 3, 2012

Romney, Sandy, FEMA Handouts...

I have been curious about something for the past several days. Why isn’t Romney going around to check out the devastation on the east coast in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy? I mean, it’s not a small matter and it is a huge problem he might inherit if he should win the election. So where he is? Is he campaigning? Has he mentioned Sandy, it’s victims and what he plans to do for them if elected? I’m just curious. I mean he shouldn’t step on anyone’s toes, but shouldn’t he have a first hand look at the damages himself?

Just yesterday a friend of mine, in a very hard hit area in Pennsylvania, told me Romney was there campaigning in a nearby, untouched, wealthy neighborhood. I guess it’s a matter of first things first. And I did some research and found that he did indeed talk about hurricane Sandy and compared it to cleaning up a field after a football game...seriously, the video link is under the picture above. Is this guy kidding or so out of touch with reality he doesn't connect with the vast number of Americans in this country?

Yes, I heard that he very generously asked people in Ohio to give any money they planned on donating to his campaign to the relief funds being raised. That’s quite admirable seven days before the election. What more money can he need anyway? The media is only interested in the relief efforts and what measures are being taken to help destroyed areas. No one is covering the election. But it would be nice to see Romney take an active interest in what is going on, don’t you think? But then again he would be touring the areas of the 47% , the people who are victims and will be accepting handouts, and really, who cares about them anyway?

Meanwhile, I wonder, if he were president, would he be so generous with FEMA funds? It’s going to take billions of dollars and years of work to rebuild the east coast. Is FEMA considered a handout? Will that 47% of victims who accept handouts increase to 53%? Maybe the tides of hurricane Sandy have turned that number too. I read this morning about a Connecticut republican, James Winkler, who lost everything he owned in the hurricane. He is dead set against people going to the government for help…well until now. Now he says he will reluctantly accept FEMA handouts because he has 1.7 million dollars of damage. He still believes people in dire need should not accept any handouts from the government, but he is doing it just this one time. I want to scream at the hypocrisy. It’s okay for him to break his own rules and to back track on his firm position that government should not help it’s people with financial relief, but it’s not okay for others who have faced dire situations? Isn’t it convenient to accept entitlements when he needs them…just this once? And, with 1.7 million in damages, I am quite sure that James had homeowners insurance and a few bucks stashed away for a rainy day, don’t you think? But he still needs government help. Imagine how people, who have a tiny fraction of what he has had, have had to manage day to day to pay their bills and put food on the table?

I’m sure there are many republicans who have faced devastating losses. A storm doesn’t check your voter registration card before hitting your home or neighborhood. How many of them will be looking to President Obama and FEMA to assist them now? Will it be okay just this one time? I don’t know, you tell me.

1 comment:

Want to know Romney’s advice for storm survivors?Don’t be a victim, and stop looking for handouts!And.... ask your parents for help!Heck, Romney will dismantle FEMA and the EPA (= more $$$ for his people/corporations).Leave it to the states, he says. Yeah, sure.Maybe he'll make us dams.... out of﻿ his used Etch-A-Sketches?What we need is a tidal wave .......of voters..... to sweep these kind of guys out of power.This is the BEST way to help the victims of present and future Sandys.AND the best way to help yourself, and your family.Obama does not dismiss 47% of America like Romney.Obama says: This is not a Republican America. This is not a Democratic America.This is the UNITED States of America.If only the other side would realize that fact! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZENtH3psXl4&feature=player_embedded